As the semiconductor industry has strived for higher performance, higher device density, and lower costs, problems involving both fabrication and design have been encountered. One solution to these problems has been the development of a fin-like field effect transistor (FinFET). A FinFET includes a thin vertical ‘fin’ formed in a free standing manner over a major surface of a substrate. The source, drain, and channel regions are defined within this fin. The gate in the transistor crosses over the channel region of the fin. This configuration allows the gate to induce current flow in the channel from three sides. Thus, FinFET devices have the advantage of higher current flow and reduced short-channel effects.
The dimensions of FinFETs and other metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) have been reduced as technological advances have been made in integrated circuit materials. For example, high-k metal gate (HKMG) processes have been applied to FinFETs.